India may still be waiting for its maiden appearance at the FIFA World Cup, but the 2026 edition in North America will have a distinct Indian connection, with four players of Indian origin earning places in their respective national squads.The quartet -- New Zealand's Sarpreet Singh, DR Congo's Samuel Moutoussamy, Australia's Nishan Velupillay and Qatar's Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid -- will carry Indian heritage onto football's biggest stage. Their inclusion comes two decades after former France midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo, whose family traced its roots to Andhra Pradesh, represented France at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.Among the four, Singh is perhaps the most recognisable name. Born in Auckland to Punjabi parents, the attacking midfielder has already crossed paths with Indian football. He featured against India during the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai, where he scored against Kenya and played a key role in New Zealand's campaign.Also read | From Erling Haaland to Luca Zidane: Sons of FIFA World Cup stars ready for their own momentSingh created history in 2019 when he became the first player of Indian descent to appear in Germany's Bundesliga after making his senior debut for Bayern Munich. Having arrived from Wellington Phoenix, he progressed from Bayern's reserve side to the first team under coach Hansi Flick and was part of the club's Bundesliga-winning squad during the 2019-20 campaign.The 27-year-old has since played in Portugal and Serbia before returning to Wellington Phoenix on loan this year. Despite an injury setback earlier in the season, he recovered in time to secure a place in New Zealand's final World Cup squad. Singh has represented New Zealand 24 times at senior level and has also featured in two FIFA Under-20 World Cups.Another player with Indian ancestry heading to the tournament is DR Congo midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy. Born in France, Moutoussamy's family background reflects multiple cultural influences, with a Congolese mother and an Indo-Guadeloupean father whose roots trace back to Tamil-speaking communities that migrated to the Caribbean during the colonial era.The 29-year-old currently plays for Greek club Atromitos and has established himself as a regular in the DR Congo national setup since making his debut in 2019. Before moving to Greece, he spent several seasons in French football with FC Nantes and also had a stint in Turkey.Australia's Nishan Velupillay will be among the fresh faces making their World Cup debut. The Melbourne-born winger has an Anglo-Indian mother and a Malaysian father of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage.Also read | India and New Zealand gear up for historic 12-match showdownVelupillay, who represents Melbourne Victory in the A-League, announced himself on the international stage by scoring on his debut for Australia during the World Cup qualification campaign in 2024. Since then, he has become a regular member of the Socceroos squad, contributing important goals during the qualification process.The youngest player of Indian origin at the tournament will be Qatar winger Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid. Born in Doha to parents from Kerala's Kannur district, Tahsin emerged through Qatar's famed Aspire Academy system and became the first player of Indian origin to feature in the Qatar Stars League.Currently with Al Duhail, the winger made his senior international debut during the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. He was part of the Qatar squad during the controversial qualifier against India in Doha in June 2024, although he remained on the bench during that encounter.While four Indian-origin players secured spots in the final World Cup rosters, Qatar defender Niall Mason narrowly missed out after being omitted from the country's final 26-member squad. Mason, who was born in England to an Indian mother and an American father, had initially been included in Qatar's preliminary selection.The tournament will also feature a connection to the Indian Super League. Haiti striker Duckens Nazon, who played for Kerala Blasters during the 2016 ISL season, has earned a place in Haiti's World Cup squad. The veteran forward remains his country's all-time leading scorer and will be aiming to make an impact on football's grandest stage.